Organism Growth Influences Worksheet

Name:

Date:

📚 Part 1: Multiple Choice & Check

Construct explanations based on evidence for environmental and genetic influences on organism growth (S.8.2).

1. Which of the following is most likely determined by genetics?

Eye color

Amount of rainfall a plant receives

Nutrient availability in soil

Predator presence

2. Which is primarily an environmental influence on growth?

A mutation in a growth gene

Sunlight exposure

Inherited bone structure

Chromosome number

3. Check all items that are examples of environmental influences:

Soil nutrients

DNA sequence

Temperature

Parental genes

4. Two sibling plants (same parents) show different heights: one in shade is small, one in full sun is tall. The best explanation is:

They have different inherited genes

They experienced different environments

One has extra chromosomes

They are different species

✏️ Part 2: Short Answer & Evidence

5. Explain in 2–3 sentences how both genetics and environment can influence a person's adult height. Use evidence-based ideas (genes, nutrition, hormones, health).

6. A study bred mice with a gene linked to size. Two groups had the same genetics; Group A got a high-protein diet and Group B got a low-protein diet. Group A grew larger. Identify: (a) independent variable, (b) dependent variable, (c) which influence (genetic or environmental) this result supports.

7. Fill in the blanks with one word each:

A trait mainly determined by genes is called _______. A trait mainly shaped by surroundings is called _______.

8. Design a simple experiment to test how water amount affects plant growth. State your hypothesis, one variable you will change, one variable you will measure, and one control you will keep the same.